Internal-combustion engine



Oct. 18, 1927. E R BURTETT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 25.1924 I' I I IIIIII I I I I I I I I I I I III II I IIII |I ,IIIII IiIIIII I I I I I I I I I I Paieme'd od. 18, 1927.

, UNITED sTAT- Esl PATENT o FFIcE.

'EVERETT a BURTNETT, or Los ANGELns, oALIroamA,AssIGNoR,-BY DIRECT mia'MEsNnAssrGNmnN'rsro THE U'roMo'rIvE vALvEs oo., or Los ANGELES, cALVLFOBNIA, A'VOLUNTARX TRUST.

IN'rmiNAL-oomnos'rron ENGINE.

Application filed September 25, 1924. Serial No. 739,914.

My invention relates generally to internal combustion engines, and moreparticularly to the specific type of two stroke cycle engine disclosedin my. co-pending application for S. Letters Patent filed'July 31g,

1924, Serial' No. 729,300, the principal object of my present inventionbeing to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of theengine disclosed in my application aforesaid and, further, to provideinV a two stroke cycle internal combustion engine a combustion chamberclearance space :in which'the charge, during compression and after thepiston has `completed its in'ward or compression stroke, to compress thegaseous charge, Will be greatly agitated and caused to whirl with acomparatively rapid m'ovement within said clearance Vspace orpocket'that is common to the combustion chambers within the enginecylinders. i

It is understood by those familiar with and skilled in the artofinternal combustion engine design thatthe ratio of residual gases inquantity, to the quantity of 'fresh gaseous f fuel comprisingzthecombustion charge, in-

fiuences to a considerable degree the t-emperaturesduringchargecombustion, and it is an accepted fact by those who havemade scientific search for the 'cause' of detonation that the initialtemperatures and pressures of combustion ale the controlling factorsV ofdetonation.

Therefore, it is one of the principal objects of my invention to providea common combustion chamber for an internal combustion engine having twoof its combustion ylinders joined by a common compression and combustionclearance Chamber, the pis- `ton of one cylinder functioning to uncoverfresh gaseous fuel charge inlet ports vthat are formed in the wall ofsaid cylinder and the piston within the other lof the two cylindersfunctioningby uncovering ports that are formed in the wallof said secondcylinder and which serve as exhaust ports to permit the exitor outlet ofexhaust gases or products of combu'stion.

My invention contemplates a structure designed so that when the engineis operated, with full load and with maximum throttle, the quantity ofthe fresh gaseous fuel charge admitted to the connected combustioncylinders will be such that it will only fill the one cylinderto whichit is inducted or first admitted. V Under such conditions, the 's'cav-"enging of the burnt gases 'or'residual prod-' ucts Vof combustion inVolume by the induction of fresh gaseous fuel charge to the `dualcombustion chambers will be in 'direct ratio to the Volume of admittedfresh gaseous fnel. Since'` the maximum fresh fuelV in'dli'ction volumeis only suflicient to filll 'one'cyl' inder, a quantity of residualgases or burnt products of combustion, equal in volume to thedisplacement of the second cylinder and thev common compressionclearance pocket,

will be retained in the dual cylinder com'- bustion Chamber.

Having thus established a ratio between the volume of residual gases andthe maximum freshV gaseous fuel charge inductionV volume, I propose toform the compression clearance pocket so as to effect a Very thoroughmixture of the residual gases and the charge of fresh gaseous fuelduringthe compression stroke'of the pistons Withinfthe cylinder'combu-stion 'chambersI It is recognized that, where the increase ofquantity of residual gases or inert Volume is suflicient, when mixedwith the fresh gase- V ous fuel charge, the dilution will cprev'entregularlty of firing while` the engine is idli'g or Operating with verylight loads. Regularity of firing maybe obtained byslocating the chargeignition device atlthethroat of .the clearance Chamber directly over thecylinder' chamber to which the lfresh gaseous fuel charges are inducted,the presumption being that when a very smalll quantity of fresh gaseousfuel is inducted to the first cylinder through ports formed in the Wallthereof and located so as .to be uncovered as the piston passes outerdead. center, that the admitted fresh gaseous fuel chargewill remain ina stratum directly over the piston head. Whenthe piston, with .thisgaseous fu-el volume immediately over its head,

reache-s top or inner dead center, the fresh gaseous fuel charge will bethe last tol be forced into and through the throat of the Chamberleading into the compression clearance pocket. It is at this`time,.orwhen the piston'reaches top. or inner dead center, thatV theVignition of the gaseous fuel charge should take place to secure maximumefficiency. The fresh undiluted gases lying di rectly over the pistonhead during thecompression stroke and passing lthrough the ``rangementof parts ``hereinafter 1more fully theline 2-2 of Figurel;

described and claimed, reference being had tovthe accompanying drawings,in lwhich a Figure lis a longitudinal Vertical section taken through theupper portion ofan internal 1 combustion ;engine cylinder block, saidblock being provided with a turbulence head constructed; in accordancewith my inven- Figure 2'is arhorizontal section taken on i v Fligurezpisacross section taken .on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1. w i

Referring by numerals to the acconipanying'V drawingg which illustrate apractical embodiment of myvinvention, 10 deslgnates in :enginecylinderblock, 11 and 12 a palr of; combustion `chambers Within saidblock.

' lfgaseous fuel inlet ports that areformed in the tvallof the block andwhich lead into combustion chamber 12` and 14 exhaust ports that areformed in the wall of the cylinder block and lead froin combustionchamber 11. The inlet ports 18 and erhaust ports'lf are located so thatthey areru'ncoveredand Wholly opentonly When the pistons 16` and 17that' operate res1:ect1vely-W1th1 n combustionfchambers llfand 12 areat. their loty1 or outer dead centers. i Secured vin any suitableina'n'ner-tofthe head endof block ILO isfa head block 18"that isprovided with a chamber 19 or a series of connected chambers throughwhich maybe fcirculated a fluid cooling mediumi'such as water. .Formed1n thel'fund'er sideof head 18 is a pocket or Chamber '20 that connectsand provides a common clearance space for `coi'nloustion chambers 111and 12, andthe end portions of this common clearance space communicatedirectl with combustion chambers i11 and 12 by dbwnwardlyopeningthroat-like chambers v21 and 22, respectively.

Form'ed inlhead 18 directly above the common clearance spacecor chamber20 is asubstantially spherical chamber 23 that perforfns the`functionso'f a turbulence chamber, and ``the la'tter is in direct communicationWith clearance space 20 and withthe throats 21^`and 22. The'bottomsurface 24 of throat 22 is inclined, and the upper portion thereofunites with and forms` a continuation'of the curved surface ofturbulence chamber 23. while the ``bottom surface 25 of throat21iscurved and meets the lower portion of the innersurface of turbulencechamber 23 in a planepractically coincident witlithe upper portion ofcommon clearance space 20. Thus the ends of the throats 21 and 22 thatcommunicate with =turbulence` chamber? j`28`f1and space 20 are dispoaed`substantiallytangencombution that enter said turbulence chami ber duringthe compression stroke of the pisatons. Seated inhead 18isan.ignition-de-`V vice, such as a spark plug 25', the :psamebe ing.locatedso thatrthezinner ends'jof the electrodes-thereofcproject intothroat 22 just:

above the4 point where the 'same communii cates with combust-ionchamber` 12 i `.In the operation of my improvedfeng'ine, plstons 16 and17 in pass'inglowriorouter dead center uncover inlet portsfll' and ex-fhaust ports 14, and as'saidjports are thus un-l`` covered a chargeoffreshtgaseous fuel Will enter, port 13 and pass"`upvvardly throughcombustion chamber 12. a 'Froml saidfchaniber 12 this 4gaseous fuelchargepasses upvvardl through throat 22 into the up er port'ion' of thesubstantiallyspherical tur ulence chamber 23 and`b7 virtue of the:Shape` of Asaid tubulence chamber said fuel charge Willjbe `given aWhirling circular ,motion'sirnultaneously, with a similar result` oraction' imparted to the residual products of combustion that are forcedu Ward from' combustion chamber 11 thr'oug `throat`21`, and from thencethrough commonclearance chamber 20`into the turbulence chamben 'ThisVvvliirli ing mixing action or turblilence continues as pistons 16 and17 Continue their'upivard or compression 'movements, and Las'the``pistons passhigh center aisparkjis produced between" theftermiiials ofplug 25', thereby igniting 'the compressed gaseous fuelfcharge Withinchambers`` 20 and 23 and throatsf21 and V22;` and the frapiol``expansionfollowing combustion of thefignitedcharge'will acton'the'heads of thepistons to drive*the latter downward on the powerstroke.`

Asa result. of'the locationof the spark plug at'the lower endoflthroat'22,"thefs`park for the ignition' of'the compressed'gaseousfuel charge is Produced at apoint but avery slight distance above theupper surface'bf the headof piston 17 andvvithin'the st'i'tum ofpracticallylundilu'ted fres'hlgaseous lfuel that lies directly over thehead of Said piston while the same-is :moving*upwardionthe compressionstroke., ``vBy'ignitihg'the Vcompressed gaseous fuel charge/atthispoin't or within the stratum of practically `'undiluted freshgaseous fuel, 'positive'ignition ofthe chargeis assured and thefla'mefip'ropagation resulting fromthe ignition of 'the'charge will'travel at relatively highA speed' through the compressed gaseousfue'licharge within chamber 23, and thisaction Willbe -accelerated, dueto the turbulence vor rapid movement of the compressed charge withinsaid Chamberand the common clearance Chamber 20. The igniting of thegaseous fuel charge at the low-er end of the throat 22 is particularlyeffective when the engine isidling or Operating with relatively lightloads for under such conditions a stratum of undiluted gaseous fuel ofsubstantial thickness lies directly against the head of piston 17 duringits inward or compression stroke. Inasmuch as a substantial portion ofthe residual gases are mixed with the fresh gaseous fuel charge inductedinto the combustion chambers of the engine, the relatively hightemperatures during Combustion will be materially de- Creased, therebyeliminating the undesirable results arising from detonation. o

Obviously various minor changes in the form, size and Construction of myimproved engine may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention, the scope ofV which is set forth in the appended Claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An internal combustion engine having a pair of Combustion chambers,one of which is provided with a gaseous fuel inlet port, the otherChamber having an exhaust port, the head ends of which Combustionchambers are connected by a common clearance space, that Comprises arelatively narrow lower intermediate Chamber, a substantially sphericalupper Chamber that is disposed immediately above the narrow lowerChamber, a throat leading from one end of the narrow lower Chamberdownwardly to one of the combustion Chambers and a throat leading fromthe opposite end of the narrow lower Chamber and from the Correspondingside of the spherical vupper Chamber downwardly to the other one of thetwo combustion Chambers, and an ignition device projecting into, saidclearance space adjacent to theipointwhere the same Communicates withthe combustion Chamber having the gaseous fuel inlet port.

2. An internal Combustion engine having a pair of combustion chambers,one of which is provided witha gaseous fuel inlet port and the otherChamberhaving an exhaust port;

a head Closing'said Chambers, which head is provided with a commonclearance space that lComprises a relatively narrow lower intermediateChamber, a substantially .Spherical upper Chamber that is dispoeedimmediately above the narrow lower chamber, a throat leading from oneend of the vnarrow lower Chamber downwardly to. one of the combustionchambers and a throat leading from the opposite end of the narrow lowerChamber vand from the Corresponding side of the spherical upper ChamberVdownwardly to the other one of the two Combustion Chambers, and anignition device set in the head and projecting into the throat thatCommunicates with the Combustion Chamber having the gaseous fuel inletport.

3. An internal Combustion engine having a pair of Combustion Chambers,one of which is provided with a gaseous fuel inlet port, the otherchamber, being provided With an exhaust port, a head Closing, saidchamber, said head being provided with a clearance Chamber that iscommon to the two combustionl chambers, which clearance Chamber includesa substantially spherical upper portion that functions as a turbulenceChamber during compression of the gaseous fuel charge within saidClearance Chamber, said clearance Chamber also including throat-like'openings that establish communication between the turbulence Chamber andthe Com- ,bustion chambers, and a relatively narrow located in said headand projecting into the throat-like Chamber that establishes communication between the turbulence Chamber and the Combustion Chamberhaving the inlet port.v

In testimony whereof VI aflix my signature.

EVERETT RBURTNETT.

